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The Marston Legacy: Progress and Preservation opens to much fanfare!
November/December 2018
 More than one hundred guests joined SOHO in celebrating the opening of The Marston Legacy: Progress and Preservation at the Marston House Museum on October 25. The exhibit explores the lasting impact and legacies of George and Anna Marston, and their children and grandchildren, all of whom played significant roles in making San Diego the livable, authentic place we enjoy today.
The new exhibit was extremely well received, and we were honored to have members of the Marston and Gunn families with us. Peg Marston and her daughter, Anne; and Connie and George Marston Beardsley, joined us. In addition, eight descendents of the Anna Lee Gunn Marston clan, the Sommer family, also joined us: Doug, Jon, Kelly, Kevin, Khloe, Lauren, Sue, and William.
We were also pleased to recognize Justin Schaberg of the William Hugh Strong family. William was the Marston Department store marketing manager for 50 years.
The Marston Legacy: Progress and Preservation is integrated into several rooms, and traces the family's civic-minded service, visionary philanthropy, and historic preservation and land conservation work across generations. The depth and breadth of this leading family's inspiring contributions may never be fully known, as they were—and remain to this day—famously private and modest. But suffice it to say, the impact is enormous.
SOHO's executive director, Bruce Coons, reminded our guests that we were surrounded by a living example of the Marston family generosity—their gift of the Marston House Museum and historic gardens to the people of San Diego and our park system. Today, of course, the Marston House is operated for the City by SOHO, whose own efforts for nearly half a century have paralleled many of the Marstons' priorities. Among these are a mission of education and stewardship of the region's architectural, cultural and historical links and landmarks that are essential to our community identity.
At the reception and again here, SOHO wishes to express our sincere and deepest gratitude to all the people and organizations who brought us the new exhibit and festive gathering, complete with the still-popular Marston Tea Room's signature coconut cream pie.
These generous sponsors made the exhibit possible. At the Curator level are Nancy Carol Carter, Floit Properties, and Johnson & Johnson Architecture; the Conservator level is sponsored by Joseph D. Anderson of Pure Financial Advisors, Inc., and YMCA of San Diego County; and the Archivist level sponsors are Friends of the Marston House, Heart of Kensington, Powers Plumbing, William Van Dusen Millworking, and Volunteer Docents of the Marston House; our sponsor at the Community Support level is Mission Federal Credit Union.
SOHO is also grateful to the magnanimous donors and long-term lenders of artifacts and images that make up the show. Please note the more than 30 donors and lenders whose names and contributions we recognize on interpretive signage throughout the exhibit.
Scroll to view photos from the opening reception
The exhibit is the culmination of a year's worth of planning, outreach to the generous donors, sponsors and lenders an undertaking of the Marston Legacy Committee, led by Bobbie Bagel, the Marston House site manager, and Sarai Johnson, Marston House historian, and, of course, extensive research.
In addition, our staff of curatorial and installation team members were phenomenal. Their effort, thoughtfulness, and dedication to telling this remarkable San Diego story will be evident. We're also grateful to the dedicated museum docents and new volunteers who will help guide visitors through the exhibit.
From George and Anna's love and generosity flowed an extraordinary family whose members deserve our profound thanks and even broader public recognition for making San Diego a better place for everyone. You may notice in the exhibit that many of the humanitarian, environmental, and cultural causes the Marston's championed during the 20th century are still relevant today. We invite you to visit and take a house tour to learn more, and to attend our series of Saturday morning Terrace Talks based on this exhibit.
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